1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a method for transmitting data, and more particularly to a method for incrementally broadcasting video and/or audio data to a recipient.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many conventional home satellite television systems utilize a fixed dish antenna to receive satellite communications. After receiving a satellite signal, the dish antenna sends a satellite spectrum signal to a satellite receiver or set-top box, often located near a user's television. The satellite receiver sends the satellite signal to the television through which the user can view the satellite program. A typical satellite generally includes 32 transponder channels between 950 MHz to 2150 MHz, with each transponder channel carrying a number of different program channels. Each transponder channel supports a predetermined bandwidth or a maximum data capacity that can be outputted to the satellite receiver. Based on the bandwidth capabilities, each transponder channel will typically transmit multiple programs events or program channels that are time-multiplexed or frequency multiplexed on a carrier signal.
Compression techniques are often used to transport digital data streams. One example of a common compression technique for digital video transmission is a Motion Picture Experts Group 2 (MPEG-2) video compression standard. For digital video broadcasts using the MPEG-2 compression standard, another MPEG compression standard or any other such standard, data for a plurality of channels may be time-multiplexed onto a signal transport stream. For satellite digital video broadcasts, each of the transport streams may correlate to a transponder channel. In addition, the satellite broadcaster may select the transponder channel into which one or more transport streams are multiplexed based, at least in part, upon the amount of the data or bandwidth needed to transmit each channel. For example, transmissions of news broadcast events often require relatively low amounts of bandwidth because the scenes and or backgrounds typically do not change significantly. In contrast, transmissions of sporting events often require relatively large amounts of bandwidth because the video scenes may constantly change at a fast rate. In addition, within a single program event, the data requirements may change significantly depending upon the image being broadcast. Thus, in general, satellite broadcasters as well as other types of broadcasters of digital video transmissions (e.g., digital cable, digital terrestrial), will typically analyze the current data transmission requirements of their programs and attempt to optimize their transport streams by adjusting the channels that are multiplexed together.
Oftentimes, however, optimal utilization of the bandwidth for a transponder channel is not achieved. One reason for this is that methods for transmitting data often broadcast recurring or the same data over a network multiple times in a predetermined period of time. The term “network,” as used herein, generally refers to any transmission scheme, medium, apparatus or setup capable of sending a signal from at least one originator (or “broadcaster” as used herein) to at least one recipient. Exemplary networks include the Internet, Ethernet, World Wide Web, local area networks, wide area networks, wired networks, wireless networks (including wireless networks propagating, receiving or initiating Bluetooth, infrared, radio frequency, and/or ultra-high frequency transmissions). The afore-described methods of broadcasting recurring data may consume unnecessary bandwidth that could be used to transmit other data to users, or may fail to fully exploit all available bandwidth of a transponder channel. Therefore, there is a need for a method and a system to transmit recurring data once to a user in order to optimize performance of a bandwidth in a network system.